Heart disease

Heart disease is an umbrella term for a number of different diseases which affect the heart. The most common heart diseases are:
- Coronary heart disease, a disease of the heart itself caused by the accumulation of atheromatous plaques within the walls of the arteries that supply the myocardium.
- Ischaemic heart disease, another disease of the heart itself, characterized by reduced blood supply to the organ.
- Cardiovascular disease, a sub-umbrella term for a number of diseases that that affect the heart itself and/or the blood vessel system, especially the veins and arteries leading to and from the heart. Research on disease dimorphism suggests that women who suffer with cardiovascular disease usually suffer from forms that affect the blood vessels while men usually suffer from forms that affect the heart muscle itself. Well known causes of cardiovascular disease include diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolemia.
- Pulmonary heart disease, a failure of the right side of the heart.
- Hereditary heart disease, heart disease caused by unavoidable genetic factors.
- Hypertensive heart disease, heart disease caused by high blood pressure, especially localised high blood pressure.
- Inflammatory heart disease, heart disease that involves inflammation of the heart muscle and/or the tissue surrounding it.
- Valvular heart disease, heart disease that affects the valves of the heart.

A heart attack occurs when the supply of blood and oxygen to an area of heart muscle is blocked, usually by a clot in a coronary artery. Often, this blockage leads to arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat or rhythm) that cause a severe decrease in the pumping function of the heart and may bring about sudden death. If the blockage is not treated within a few hours, the affected heart muscle will die and be replaced by scar tissue.

A heart attack is a life-threatening event. Everyone should know the warning signs of a heart attack and how to get emergency help. Many people suffer permanent damage to their hearts or die because they do not get help immediately.

The warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack can include:
- Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain. Heart attack pain can sometimes feel like indigestion or heartburn.
- Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain, discomfort, or numbness in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.
- Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.
- Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, having nausea and vomiting, or feeling light-headed or dizzy.

Signs and symptoms vary from person to person. In fact, if you have a second heart attack, your symptoms may not be the same as for the first heart attack. Some people have no symptoms. This is called a "silent" heart attack.